It might not make you popular with your contractor, but for a more streamlined look, Chris recommends forgoing trim. "It lends a clean look with less visual clutter," the architect says. In their house, the doors, lights, cabinetry, and even wall sockets (all 22 by Bocci) are installed without trim. This allows the planar surfaces to recede and do their jobs without unnecessarily distracting the eye.

Less but Better, by Dieter Rams (Gestalten, March 2014). This read from Gestalten inventories the unobtrusive product designs of author Dieter Rams and, in doing so, meditates on the power of doing more with less.

"A lot of people say less is more," says QuaDror inventor Dror Benshetrit. "I completely disagree. Less is less, more is more. Sometimes less is better, but it's not more."

Upstairs, the clutter-free bedrooms of Segal’s teenagers reflect their father’s less-is-more ethos.

The walk-in closet is covered in mirrors, to make the space less claustrophobic.

The 510 Cabin is one of Leggitt's designs, executed with the help of student apprentices.

The pitched roof reduces the extension's surface area to 12 percent less than that of a flat-roofed extension, creating a more compact building envelope—which translates to less material needed for construction and less space to heat or cool.

Thanks to an ultra concentrated formula, Method designed a teeny package that requires less energy to produce and creates less waste. The bottle uses over 36% less plastic compared to traditional 2x detergents and 50% of that comes from recycled plastics.

Compared to an ordinary home, the Empowerhouse uses 90 percent less energy for heating and cooling and 40 percent less that typical high-efficiency homes. Cellulose insulation, which takes 16 times less energy to produce than fiberglass insulation and achieves a thermal resistance value of over R-40, and taped seams cut down on heat loss. Reflective surfaces, shown here in the kitchen, disperse light through the home also helping to reduce energy costs incurred from artificial lighting.

Arkitekthus charges a little extra for the see-through staircase; the basic house has under-staircase storage, which is more practical but less beautiful.

When it came time to select appliances that would seamlessly blend into their kitchen, Joel and Meelena relied heavily on Dacor for their elegant, high-tech product line. “What I love about the camera in the fridge is that it’s highly functional and not just a gimmick,” notes Joel. “How many times have you gone to the store and purchased things because you forgot you had it? In my mind, this is a beautiful, simple feature that allows you to use less and waste less—while also wasting less time.”

The cover of Murakami Versailles.

San Souci with Touchless toilet technology by Kohler, $934 Flush by waving a hand—no need to worry about what’s lurking on a toilet’s lever. To make your current commode touch-free, a retrofit kit ($100) is available.

The kitchen is a miracle of efficiency, with Antonio Citterio’s Convivium system for Arclinea shoehorned into a tight galley layout. The built-in Miele oven has storage above, and the Sub-Zero drawers are far less bulky than a freestanding refrigerator. The Carrara marble countertop and backsplash were custom cut by Brooklyn’s Acme Marble Co.

The far-less-celebrated Richmond Bridge is one of the seven that cross the San Francisco Bay.

All outposts are a two-hour drive (or less) from its respective city, without traffic.

Painting this diamond-plate steel backsplash a charming pink color makes the material feel less cold and industrial.

Kaplan and his dog Bella were able to splurge on a sofa from Ligne Roset after the house priced out at less that $100 per square foot.

Estonian design collective Kodasema launched this 269-square-foot micro-home, which can be built in less than a day.

Pendant by Matthew Fairbank Design.

Clock by Ding3000 for Discipline.

The structure of the coop was inspired by the new bus shelters and newsstands in New York City.

Generations of family have lived on this wooded, waterfront site, where architect Will Randolph has built a weekend getaway for less than $70,000.

William Lamson's Solarium.

The ribbed Smart Slab ceiling combines the structural strength of concrete with the flexibility of 3D printing—and it’s less than half the weight of a conventional concrete slab.

The garage door is commercial grade, which means that it needs less maintenance than a regular garage door.

LeMae and Vigil extended their environmentalist leanings outdoors. “In landscaping, we thought a lot about low-water and native plants,” LeMae explains. “The lawn we selected needs 50 percent less water than a normal Kentucky bluegrass lawn.”

The architects made less into more by designing rooms that multitask. When no guests are in town, the spare room easily reconfigures into a cozy home office, complete with its own powder room.

curb-less shower, frame-less glass, textured tile, corner drain

In such a small space “you have to organize, and every piece takes a decision,” says resident Heidi Wright. The couple keep things they use less frequently, like guest bedding, in the higher cabinets.

A Rubi bathtub by Ramacieri Soligo was installed beside a shower with Aquabrass finishes. Stone Tile International supplied the Amore porcelain tiles, in graphite black, that spread across the floor.

After: "I think the design on the facade of our shophouse suits us. We tend to prefer simple and understated designs," says Kelvin on the shophouse's facade that is less elaborate than some others in the area.

“I wanted more of a skeletal look for this house, and less of a chunky, log-cabin look,” says Panton, who added stark steel bracing across the entire length of the porch’s roof structure.

At Designjunction, Australian Jon Goulder of Midland Atelier showed the low-slung Amore Mio chair with a cut-out backrest and feet that taper from front to back.

Soft Rocks by Tanya Aguiñiga.